Faucet



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Oct. 13, 1936,

Patented Oct. 13, 19,36'

*UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f l 2,057,231 Y Y -FAUoET Y Y Lester J .;,Dawson, Minneapolis, Minn. `Application September 7, 1935, Serial No. 39,591 i claims. y (o1. tsr-1411)'V =This invention relates to new and useful improvements in'faucets, and moreparticularly to faucets especiallydesigned for dispensing gaseous liquids such as beer. An object of the present invention is to provide" a beer; faucetof simple and inexpensive construction comprising a valve mounted for reciprocal movement which, when opened, is i entirely out of thebeer stream; so that the beer lol may flow unobstructedly through the valve substantially withoutjagitation. YAfurther object is'to provide a beer-faucet provided with a suitable dispensingnozzle and having a passage therein -adaptedto be con- 155 nected to aL beer supply underpressura and a valve Vbeinginterposed between the beer nozzle and-"said passage for controlling flow Vthrough the nozzle, said valve being so constructed and arranged that the pressureof thecarbonrrdiox- 2b ideVand-other gas content of thev beer will tend to holdthe valve' on its seat when closed.

`Oth'er objects of the invention reside in the "simple construction 'of' the valve as ua whole, whereby the valveV `means therein may readily be removed for cleaning orrepairs, when necessary, Without disassembling Ythe entire valve; in the provision of the expansion chamber provided at the upper end of thedispensing nozzle, into whichthe beer may expand ,from the valve opening, to thereby cause the beer to owfrom thenozzle Without agitation, and whereby excessive foaming is substantially 'eliminated; in the particular arrangement of the plunger guide, `which Yis disposed `at an incline with re- 5 spectto the beer'passage whereby, when the plunger is inlopenposition, the beer-mayflow freely through the faucet without restriction; 'and-"in the unique construction ofjthe valve means-of the faucet,` which comprises a plunger mounted for reciprocal movement in a suitable guide] andlhaving a stem at one end provided with a series of threads, and the adjacent ends ofthe valve body-being provided with a concave conical seat adapted to be engaged by one end of a suitable sealing element tting over said stem; i

Other. objects of the invention will appear from the following ldescription and accompanying V'drawing' and will be pointed out 'in the `5() annexed'claims. c f

In the accompanying drawing, there has been disclosed a `structure designed to carry out the various Vobject/s ofA the' invention, but it is to c 'be understood that the inventionis not confined B5 tothe exact features shown Vas variouschanges may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In thedrawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved faucet showing the plunger in closed 5 position; c

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the plunger in open position;

c Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 isa view showing the plunger removed from the faucet.

The` novel faucet herein disclosed, is shown comprising a body 2 having a suitable passage 3 therein, one `end of which is adapted to be l5 connected to a suitable conduit or pipe '4, leadingto a suitable beer supply, under pressure. The body 2 is provided with a suitable flange 5 adapted to be Vseated against a suitable support 6, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1. '20

A dispensing nozzle, generally indicated Vby the numeral 'I,'is provided at the opposite end of the body 2 and has an enlarged chamber 8V at .its upper end which communicates with a valve opening 9, surrounded by an annular seat I I. The valve opening 9 communicates with the passage 3, as best shown in Figure 2. An important feature of the invention resides in the Vconstruction of the valve means for controlling liquid flow from the passage 3 and through the nozzle 1. This valve means is clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and comprises a plunger, generally indicated by the numeral I2, which is slidably mounted in a suitable Vguide I3,shown, disposed at an incline with re-V spect Vto the passage 3, and having one end communicating therewith.

The plunger body I2 is provided at one end with a stern IIIV having a series of threads I5. The adjacent end ofthe plunger I2 is formed 40 with a concave, conical seat I6, from the bottom of which' the stem I4 projects. The stem I4 is undercut, as shown at I1, at the point where it Vis connected to the plunger I2.

An important feature of the invention resides 45 in the specic construction of the plunger I2, which, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, comprises a suitable sealingelement I8, preferably of rubber, and having a cylindrical bore I9 adapted to receive the stem I4. The inner end of the element I8 is shaped to correspond substantially to the shape of the conical seat provided in the valve body I2, whereby when the element is screwed onto the threads of the stem I4, the inner end thereof will be forced against the conical seat I3 and into the undercut portion or recess of the stem. When the element I8 is thus screwed to the stem I, its inner-end will contract, whereby it is forced into the annular recess Il, thereby to secure the element to the stem UI in such manner that it cannot accidentally become detached therefrom. As a result of thus securing the sealing element to the stem, no additional means are required for securing it to the stem I4 as, for example, a nut received in threaded engagement with the end of the stem.

Another important feature of the novel faucet herein disclosed, resides in the particular manner in which the plunger I2 is supported in the guide I3, whereby a portion of the gas content of the beer may enter the guide I3 and thereby exert a downward pressure upon the plunger to assist in retaining it on theseat IIwhen closed. This is accomplished by so fitting therbody of the plunger I2 in the guide I3, that when the lower end of the sealing element I8 approaches the valve seat II, during the operation of closing the faucet, the pressure in the beer line will cause a portion of the gas content thereof to enter the guide I3, back of the plunger I2, which gas or liquid will exert a downward pressure on the plunger, and thereby force the sealing element I8 into engagement with the seat II, without the use of a spring.

The upper end of the guide chamber I3 is slicwn closed by a suitable cap or plug 2l, received in threaded engagement with the walls of the guide, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. rI'he upper end of the plunger I2 has a reduced portion 22 provided with a terminal bore 23, the lower end of which has a slot 24, whereby a suitable instrument, not shown, may be inserted through the open end of the guide I3, when the plug 2| is removed, and into engagement with the slot 24, whereby the plunger may readily be 4 withdrawn from the guide I3.

The means for operating the plunger is shown comprising an operating handle 25, the lower end of which is forked, as shown in Figure 3, to provide spaced legs 26 and 21. A rock shaft 28 has one end of a suitable arm 29 non-rotatably secured thereto within a chamber 3I, provided'in the upper portion of the body 2 .of the faucet. The lower end of the arm 29 is received in a socket 32 in the plunger, whereby when the arm 29 is oscillated, reciprocal movement isV imparted to the plunger, as will readily be understood.

A rock shaft 28 is supported in a suitable bearing providedrin the body 2 of the faucet, and generally indicated bythe numeral 33. A suitable packing, generally indicated by the numeral 35, prevents leakage around the rock shaft 28. The outer end of the rock shaft is suitably secured to the leg 28 of the operating handle 25 by a suitable screw 36, and the opposite leg 21 of the handle is pivotally supported upon a. stud 3? secured to the body 2 of the faucet, as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. A suitable spacing collar 38 is shown interposed between the leg 2l of the operating handle, and the body 2, to facilitate the removal of the operatingrhandle from the valve body without removing the rock shaft 28. In other words, when the screw. 38 is removed from the end of the rock shaft 28, and the stud 31 and spacing collar 38 are removed, the operating handle may be moved in aV direction towards the left, when viewed as shown in Figure 3, whereby the leg 26 of the handle will disengagethe terminal of the rock shaft 28.

The novel beer faucet, herein disclosed, has been found very practical and efcient for dispensing beer and other gaseous liquids. Because of the unique construction of the valve means, the stored beer pressure will act upon the end surface 39 of the plunger I2, and thereby force the sealing element I8 to its seat, whereby no springs are necessary to retain the sealing element I8 on its seat. Also, because of the pressure of the liquid tending to retain the element I8 on its seat, the packing shown at 35 in Figure 3 need not be as tight, as is customary in devices of this general character. It will also be noted that the valve is not in any way, de-

Aof the dispensing nozzle I is also important, as 'it' permits the beer to expand thereinto when the valve is initially opened, whereby a portion of the gas in the beer is spent before the beer flows from` the discharge end of the nozzle, whereby agitation of the beer is minimized, and, as a result, the beer may be drawn from the faucet without foaming excessively. It is also to be notedV that when the plunger is in open position, as shownin Figure 2, the sealing element I8 is entirely out of the beer stream, wherebyV the beer may flow from the passage 3 in the faucet through `the valve opening 9, and into the dispensing nozzle without restriction and without becoming unnecessarily agitated. Thefaucet also presents the utmostinsimplicity, as it comprises very few moving parts, all of which may readilyr be removed from the body 2 of the faucet without removing the faucet from its supporing means.

I claim as my invention:

l. A beer faucet comprising( a body provided with a dispensing nozzle and having a passage therein, one end of which is adapted for connection to a source of beer under pressure, valve means interposed between the nozzle and said passage comprising a valve seat and a plunger, said body having .a guide for' the plunger located out of the path of liquid flow through the faucet, means for moving the plunger into or outvv of engagement with the .seat to control the flow of beervfrom the passage to the nozzle, and means `whereby a portion of the beer may enter said guide behind the plunger, thereby to urge it into engagement with its seat, said plunger, when in open position, being disposed entirely out Vof the normal path of the beer stream, whereby an unobstructed passage is provided therefor. Y

2. A beer faucet comprising a body having a dispensing nozzle at one end and a passage adapted forv connection toa beer supply under pressure, valve means interposed between the nozzle and said passage, said valve means comprising a valve seat anda plunger mounted for sliding movement in a suitable guide chamber, a conical seat at one end of the plunger, a stem projecting from said seat, a sealing element on said stem adapted to engage the valve seat to control liquid ow through the valve, and means made integral with the stem and cooperating with said conical seat to secure the sealing element to the plunger.

`3. A beer faucet comprising a body having a dispensing nozzle at one end and a passage adapted for connection to a beer supply under pressure, valve means interposed between the nozzle and said passage, said valve means comprising a valve seat and a plunger mounted for sliding movement in a suitable guide and having a concave seat at one end, a stem projecting from said concave seat and having a series of threads intermediate -its ends, a suitable sealing element secured to said stem and adapted to engage a seat to control flow through the valve, and means whereby the sealing element is contracted, when engaged with the concave seat, thereby to inseparably secure it to the stem.

4. Arbeer faucet comprising a body having a dispensing nozzle at one end and a passage adapted for connection to a beer supply under pressure, valve means interposed between the nozzle and the passage, said valve means comprising a valve seat and a plunger mounted for sliding movement in a suitable guide, and the plunger having a concave, conical seat at one end, a stem projecting from said concave seat and having a series of threads thereon intermediate its ends, said stem being annularly undercut between said threads and said concave seat, and a compressible sealing element tted onto said stem and secured thereto by said threads, said concave seat operating to contract the sealing element, when the latter is forced thereagainst by said threads, whereby'a portion of the sealing element is compressed into the undercut portion of the stem, therebyv to secureit thereto.

LESTER J. DAWSON. 

